Network functions virtualization (NFV) is initiated by 13 global major telecommunications operators, and many device vendors and IT manufacturers participate in organization of the NFV, aiming at defining a requirement of the operators for network functions virtualization and a related technical report, and hoping to implement a shift to some software defined network functions by referring to a virtualization technology of the information technology IT and using a universal high-performance and large-capacity server, switch, and memory. In this way, various types of network devices, such as a server, a router, a storage device, a CDN, and a switch, can implement separation of software and hardware by using a network functions virtualization technology, so that the devices may be deployed in a data center, a network node, or a user's home.
NFV may completely separate software that defines a network function from a universal high-performance hardware server, memory, and network switch, so as to implement a modular characteristic that software is independent of a hardware component, and complete remote automatic installation and management of a software device based on universal hardware.
However, currently, there is still no method for managing a network service fault in an NFV environment; fault management based on a conventional network element entity is not suitable for the NFV virtual environment, and when a fault occurs in a network service in the NFV environment, the fault cannot be handled in a timely manner to maintain stability of an NFV system.